FOH is a Service Unit within the Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Program Support Center (PSC), and, because it was created through an amendment to the Public Health Act, is also a component of the U.S. Public Health Service.

    U.S. Public Health Service

As a component of the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS), aspects of FOH’s mission overlap with the mission of the PHS resulting in an integration of personnel and services. The overall mission of the PHS is to provide highly trained and mobile health professionals who carry out programs to promote the health of the Nation, understand and prevent disease and injury, assure safe and effective drugs and medical devices, deliver health services to Federal beneficiaries, and furnish health expertise in time of war or other national or international emergencies.

Commissioned Corps officers of the PHS make up a significant portion of the FOH staff and they serve in a variety of managerial and support roles. As a member of the FOH staff you may work side-by-side with PHS Commissioned Corps officers. The Commissioned Corps make up one of the seven Uniformed Services in the United States and are often assigned to Federal, State or local agencies or international organizations. These officers work under the direction of the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. The Office is part of the Office of Public Health and Science, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

To learn more about DHHS, the PSC, the PHS, and FOH, please visit the following web sites:

• Department of Health and Human Services: http://www.dhhs.gov
• Program Support Center: http://www.psc.gov
• Public Health Service: http://www.usphs.gov